Meyreuil and Grenoble, France – 22 January 2026 – Scintil Photonics, Presto Engineering and CEA-Leti announce that their joint project, CanopAI, has been awarded funding by the French government under the France 2030 “i-Demo” program supported by Bpifrance. This collaborative initiative reinforces France and Europe’s ambitions to accelerate innovation and strengthen independence in semiconductors, photonics and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.
Accelerating Photonic Integration for AI and Cloud Systems
Led by Scintil Photonics, the CanopAI project (“Optical Interconnections for AI and Datacenters”) aims to develop a new generation of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) designed to meet the exponential growth of data transmission in AI infrastructures. The project’s objective is to develop a roadmap that doubles data throughput every two years, significantly improving the power efficiency, latency and bandwidth density of GPU-to-GPU interconnects.
Scintil’s SHIP™ (Scintil Heterogeneous Integration Photonics) technology integrates III-V materials with silicon photonics to create fully integrated optical chips. SHIP™ brings together essential optical functions, such as lasers, modulators and monitoring photodiodes, on a single die, replacing the need for numerous discrete components. SHIP™ is used to fabricate LEAFLight™, a dense, multiwavelength light source on a single chip that offers unparalleled performance and integration while remaining fully compatible with high-volume silicon photonics foundry processes.
“The CanopAI project is a significant milestone in the industrial readiness of our photonic technology,” said Olivier Potavin, COO of Scintil Photonics. “Through our collaboration with Presto Engineering and CEA-Leti, we are establishing a complete value chain, from design to production, and deploying advanced electrical and optical wafer-level testing solutions. This initiative will further solidify Europe’s position as a leader in photonics and semiconductor innovation.”
Presto Engineering: Bridging Photonic Innovation and Industrialization
As the industrialization partner in the CanopAI project, Presto Engineering brings deep expertise in semiconductor test, qualification and reliability engineering to ensure manufacturability and scalability of photonic devices.
Presto develops automated electro-optical test solutions to characterize and test photonic integrated circuits at both wafer and package levels, validate thermal and reliability performance, and enable an efficient ramp-up to volume production of Scintil’s advanced PICs.
“Integrated photonics represents one of the most transformative evolutions in the semiconductor industry,” said Didier Narassiguin, VP of NPI & IP at Presto Engineering. “Through the CanopAI project, we’re tackling key challenges in test and reliability to help ensure that these next-generation photonic technologies can be industrialized efficiently within Europe.”
This project enables Presto to remain at the forefront of high technology by addressing the latest technical challenges in testing, reliability, and large-scale manufacturing. Presto reaffirms its ability to innovate and support the rapid evolution of the semiconductor industry.
CEA-Leti: Advanced Materials and Integration Expertise
CEA-Leti, a global leader in applied research for microelectronics and photonics, contributes to the project with advanced III-V material development and innovative bonding and integration techniques to optimize substrate reuse and prepare for future manufacturing on 300 mm wafers. “These innovations will enhance the scalability and sustainability of next-generation photonic processes,” added Eléonore Hardy, Silicon Photonics partnership manager at CEA-Leti.
A Collaborative Effort Anchored in French Innovation
The CanopAI project unites three French leaders in their fields:
Together, they aim to double data transmission throughput every two years, improve energy efficiency and pave the way for sustainable AI high-speed optical interconnects.
Supporting the France 2030 Vision
The Bpifrance grant under the France 2030 “i-Demo” program underscores national commitment to fostering innovation in critical technologies such as semiconductors, photonics and AI.
The CanopAI project will strengthen the domestic supply chain and contribute to the creation of high-value jobs and export competitiveness in Europe’s high-tech sector.
About Scintil Photonics
Scintil Photonics is a global leader in integrated Photonic System-on-Chip (PSoC) solutions for AI factories. Using its proprietary heterogeneous integration process, SHIP™, Scintil enables high-performance optical interconnects, meeting the power and bandwidth demands of large-scale GPU clusters enabled by the next generation of co-packaged optics (CPO). Scintil’s product LEAF Light™ is a single-chip, DWDM-native light engine for high-density optical connectivity. Headquartered in Grenoble, France, with North American operations, Scintil is expanding globally to support the evolving needs of AI infrastructure. www.scintil-photonics.com
About Presto Engineering
Presto Engineering is a leading independent ASIC design and semiconductor device production provider. From initial design to tape-out and the delivery of finished goods, Presto helps original equipment manufacturers integrate innovations and minimize overhead, while reducing risk and accelerating time-to-market. Presto uniquely offers over 35-years of expertise in circuit design and industrialization for ultra-low power RF, high-touch analog mixed signal, and secured applications, including proprietary silicon IP platforms tailored to customers’ key product differentiation and competitive advantage. In addition to its semiconductor expertise, Presto has developed advanced optical and photonic testing capabilities, covering both camera sensor characterization and photonic integrated circuit (PIC) testing.
Presto is headquartered in Meyreuil, France, with operations and a dedicated supply chain across Europe, North America, and Asia. For more information, visit: https://www.presto-eng.com
About CEA-Leti (France)
CEA-Leti, a technology research institute at CEA, is a global leader in miniaturization technologies enabling smart, energy-efficient and secure solutions for industry. Founded in 1967, CEA-Leti pioneers micro-& nanotechnologies, tailoring differentiating applicative solutions for global companies, SMEs and startups.
CEA-Leti tackles critical challenges in healthcare, energy and digital migration. From sensors to data processing and computing solutions, CEA-Leti’s multidisciplinary teams deliver solid expertise, leveraging world-class pre-industrialization facilities. With a staff of more than 2,000 talents, a portfolio of 3,200 patents, 11,000 sq. meters of cleanroom space and a clear IP policy, the institute is based in Grenoble (France) and has offices in San Francisco (United States), Brussels (Belgium), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (South Korea) and Taipei (Taiwan). CEA-Leti has launched 80 startups and is a member of the Carnot Institutes network. Follow us on www.leti-cea.com and @CEA_Leti
Technological expertise
CEA has a key role in transferring scientific knowledge and innovation from research to industry. This high-level technological research is carried out in particular in electronic and integrated systems, from microscale to nanoscale. It has a wide range of industrial applications in the fields of transport, health, safety and telecommunications, contributing to the creation of high-quality and competitive products.
About Bpifrance :
Bpifrance finances companies at every stage of their development—through loans, guarantees, and equity investments. It supports their innovation projects and international growth. Bpifrance also facilitates export activities with a wide range of financial products. Its offering to entrepreneurs also includes advisory services, training programs, networking opportunities, and acceleration programs for startups, SMEs, and mid-sized companies.
Thanks to Bpifrance and its 50 regional offices, entrepreneurs benefit from a local, single, and efficient point of contact to help them tackle their challenges.
More informations: www.Bpifrance.fr – https://presse.bpifrance.fr – Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @Bpifrance – @BpifrancePresse
About France 2030
The France 2030 Investment Plan:
France 2030 is structured around two cross-cutting objectives: allocating 50% of its spending to the decarbonization of the economy, and 50% to emerging players driving innovation, with no environmentally harmful spending (in accordance with the Do No Significant Harm principle).
******
Media Contacts
Scintil Photonics Contact:
Cassandre Battandier-Ferbus — +33 3 92 25 29 19 — cassandre@scintil-photonics.com
Presto Engineering Contact:
Marion Loizurot — +33 7 79 94 49 21 — marion.loizurot@presto-eng.com
Media Relations: Sandy Fewkes — +1 408 529 9685 — SandyLFewkes@gmail.com
